#39: A Jewish-Muslim Alliance
Since the election, there has been a rise in public Anti-Semitic and Islamophobic behavior across the country, and many are worried that the nomination of Steve Bannon gives legitimacy and power to this behavior. How are Jewish and Muslim comm…
#38: Picking Up the Pieces After Election Day
Protests. Stories of harassment and hate. Calls for national unity. The days after Election Day have been intense. What does it mean for communities of color? And how should journalists responsibly cover this kind of president-elect?
Host Mar…
#37: President Trump
Donald Trump has won the election, and many are worried what tomorrow, next week, and next year will look like. Communities of color are suddenly fearing an uptick in racial violence and anti-immigrant sentiment.
Host Maria Hinojosa leads a d…
#36: A Bouquet of Bigotry
After appearing on MSNBC this weekend, Maria Hinojosa went viral—for explaining why language is important when talking about undocumented immigrants. On this week’s episode, Maria talks with Julio Ricardo Varela about her appearance, and Julio…
#35: Fair and Unbalanced?
This election season, it’s been hard to break out of Donald Trump’s orbit. The last few weeks, we’ve been dissecting all of Trump’s mistakes, so this week, we take on Hillary Clinton, specifically her stance on criminal justice reform. We also…
#34: The Master Debaters
We’ve at last hit the final presidential debate. While this time around there were less personal digs and more focus on policy, we still didn’t escape the debate without some trending soundbites (cue “hambres”). And we finally got a discussion…
BONUS: Fear and Violence in 2016
In advance of our final post-debate episode this coming Thursday, we decided to check in on the current state of the election. And it’s not pretty. Donald Trump is facing 16 accusations of sexual assault or sexual harassment, and he is stoking…
#33: The Debate We Deserve?
What led to the circus that was Sunday night’s debate, and how does that reflect on us as a country? Also, what did we miss by having white moderators who may not have the life experience to reflect on issues that are important to communities …
#32: “That Mexican Thing”
Vice presidential debates are supposed to be undercards to the their presidential counterparts, but did Governor Mike Pence’s call to not whip out “that Mexican thing” cause more problems for Donald Trump with voters of color?
Julio Ricardo V…
#31: With Debated Breath
It was THE most anticipated political event of the election season: the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. For this special early week release show, we ask: what were the debate’s best moments? What were the wo…
#30: Why Is the US Afraid of Immigrants?
After last weekend’s attack in New York City, the country is once again intensely focused on immigration. Much of this debate stems from fear, but for such an emotional issue, how much can facts really do to change people’s minds? And with Don…
#29: Sickness and Sexism
Hillary Clinton faced a storm of criticism about her health this week, but how much of this is due to sexism? And Donald Trump continues to push the limits of what he can say, but are people even noticing?
Julio Ricardo Varela leads a convers…
#28: Of Taco Trucks and American Flags
Last week, Donald Trump visited Mexico and an African-American church in Detroit, but was he really addressing people of color, or were these speeches simply dog whistles designed to show white voters that he that he connects with communities …
#27: It’s All in the Clips
We’re off next week, so we decided to look back at some of our favorite In The Thick moments over the last few months. Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela break down their favorite clips, and–now with hindsight–they also discuss how thes…
#26: Puerto Rico, You Lovely Island
This week, tennis player Monica Puig won Puerto Rico’s first ever gold medal—which has led many to wonder, why does Puerto Rico have its own Olympians, if it’s part of the US?
In short: it’s complicated.
Maria Hinojosa leads a discussion ab…
#25: It’s Not Racist to Report on Race
Building a wall to stop immigration. Police killing black men. A politician banning Muslims. As America erupts over race and ethnicity, many reporters of color feel it’s their obligation to lead the conversation dividing the country. Maria Hin…
#24: What Is a “Good” Person of Color?
While Democrats are patting themselves on the back after Khizr Khan’s speech, does their embrace actually go deeper than the surface? Is the Democratic Party actually doing as good a job with communities of color as prominent Democrats claim? …
BONUS: Let’s Play Two at the DNC
We recorded so much great material in our week at the DNC that we decided to make a bonus DNC episode. Maria Hinojosa talks with four prominent politicians, advisors, and activists of color: Bill Richardson, former US Energy Secretary and New …
#23: Live from the 2-1-5: On The Road at the DNC
Weeks ago, no one could have predicted such intrigue at the Democratic National Convention. But beyond Wikileaks and the strident support for Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton faces a skeptical public whose enthusiasm for her is in question. Mar…
#22: Hello Cleveland: On the Road at the RNC
This week, In The Thick is in Cleveland covering the 2016 Republican National Convention. How do prominent conservative Latinos feel about Trump as their nominee? What can Trump do to gain their full support? And what does the future hold for …
#21: Law and Order: IS It Black and White?
With the recent tragedies in Baton Rogue, Falcon Heights, and Dallas, the topic of race and policing has dominated the national dialogue. Are we asking too much of police? Can we move forward to create more trust between police and communities…
#20: The Clash of Immigration and Affirmative Action
With a nod to punk rockers The Clash, the question of ‘who should stay and who should go’ was at the heart of two decisions at the end of the U.S. Supreme Court session. Who should stay in the America and who should go to college were behin…
#19: Police and Communities of Color
Politicians often talk about race when it serves their agendas. Recently the racial spotlight has been on police departments, especially in Baltimore and Oakland, where events have damaged trust in both forces. Maria Hinojosa leads a discus…
#18: “So, You Call Yourself an American?”
This election renews the question of what it means to be an American. How should we define fundamental American values in light of the Orlando murders, the debate over gun rights, and politicians stoking our worst fears? Maria Hinojosa leads a…